Machine for producing expanded metal.



J. E. DOBSON & G. MERKBL.

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLICATION I D DEC. 6

1,1 19,933. Patented Dec.8, 1914.

7 SHEETS-BEBET l INVENTORS did 2 By tt meys,

J7 H x w 9 Ma fl WlTNESSES J. E. DOBSON MACHINE FOR PRODUG APPLICATION r & MERKEL.

ING EXPANDED METAL.

D DEC.

1,1 19,933. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w w My ZiT NESSES:

J. E. DOBSON & G. MERKEL.

momma roa rnonuome EXPANDED METAL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1912.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR5 I g am, L. B31 Alv (1% lifia WITNESSES:

J. E. DOBSON & G. MERKEL.

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING EXPANDED METAL.

AI n PIL 1,1 19,933. Patented Dec.8,1914.

7 sums-sum 4.

I I 1 z W 57 INVENTORS (jw FLEX Q Attarneys, :PZZW, Mil 1 7 J. E. EOBSGN it 5%. MERKEL MACHINE FOR PE 'BDUOKNG EXPANDED METAL.

APPLum'rwN {LL29 mm s, 1912.

1,1 19,933. Patented Dec. 8,1914

'7 SHEBTS SHEBT 5.

' mwvo smxgxmw H u U U '1; .i INVENTOR5: J" WHNESSES:

J, E. DOBSON 6: GE MERKEL. MACHINE FOR PRQDUCING EXPANDED METAL APPLX'JATION ULED 91:10.8 1912.

1,1 19,933. htented Dec. 8, 1914 7 SHEETS-SHEET Gv by this machine may be employedjv for a.

commercial quantities and at low cost.

UNITED star as sairanr ca e.

. V V v 1 JOHN E. DOBSON, OF NEW YORK, NnY- AND GEORG IKERKEL, OF WEST HOBOEN, NEW

JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO ,WJBLISS COMPAliY,

rom'rion OF WEST vmofnrai.

or naooxm'u, NEW YORK, A con- MACHINE FOR PRODUCING EXPANDED METAL.

Specification. Letters Yatent.

Patented Dec. 8, 191a.

drig inal applicatlou tiled dune 11 1812, Seriai No. 702,991. Divided and this application filed December 6, I 1912. Serial No. 735,239. v

Toall whom it may concern;

7 Be it known that .we, Jon residing'in the borough of' Manhattan, city, county, and State, of New York, and (3150110 MERKEL, residing in West Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, both citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Producing Expanded Metal, of which thev following is a specifi cation. I i I our invent on relates to a machine for the production of expanded sheetjmetal and has for its object to produce a fabric of this nature having expanded portions which are separated by integralunexpanded'or plane portions. The invention forming the'subjectanat-ter of this application is -a division of an earlier application filed by us June 11th, 1912, Serial No. 702 991.

The partially expanded. sheet produced variety of purpos'es,such for instance as the production of studdings, partitions, etc, and. if desired it mayjhave' raised ribs formed therein by means embodicdin the machine sheeternetal has been well deveiopcd', it has so far as-we are aware prior to our invention not been possible to produce a sheet of such metal fivherein a portion only thereof was expanded and the remainder-was unexpanded, and the expanded part' ras of regular and uniform outline. The diliiculty in the productionof the article'describcd consists in the difficulty of exlianding the slitted sheet metal evenly in preventingan undesired flow of the said metal, and in preventing a dist9r..

tion thereof during the formationfpf the ex panded part so that symmetrical andeven figures are, produced therein. and in expanding an interior portion of the integral sheet without aiiccting the adjoining unexpandcd parts. \Vhile this expanded sheet metal may be made in other ways, the machine illustrated inthis application is capable of satisfactorily producing said product in The said machine is fuily illustrated in the draw- E. DOBSON,

said machine.

a plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig.

ings accompanying this application wherelll-Z- Figure 1 illustrates in plan view a piece of sheet metal slitted in places \vhere'it is I to be expanded and ready .togbe' operated upon by the said machine. I 2 illustrates in detail view feeding and guiding rolls of Fig. 3 illustrates in section the first expanding rolls of our machine sepa rated for convenience, together with the fabric as produced thereon. Figs/4 and 5 are respectively a plan and side viewof the fabric aftertrcatment byih'e rolls of Fig. 3. Fig. (3 is a view similar to Fig. 3, .illus- Crating the succeeding expanding rolls and a port-ion of the fabric produced thereby. Figs. 7 and 8 are side and plan viei'vs of the fabric-as it leaves the rolls of Fig. 6. Fig.

9 is a view similar to Fig. 3:, illustrating in -ross cction the final expanding rolls of. our machine and also the fabric asit leaves such roll-so Figs. 10 and llrare respectively aside eleration and a plan -\'l(}\'\ 0f the fabric as it leaves the rolls of Fig, 9. Figs. 12 to' 15 are views similar to Fig.3 illustrating in cross section rolls of progressively varying size which may be employed to form longitudinal ribs in the fabric and to force the previously fully expanded parts of the sheet from the several planes into which they have been forced by expanding the same into one general and substantially the same plane. Fig. it? illustrates feed rolls which may be employed. to feed tl'iecompletcd fabric out of the-machine. Figs. 17 and 18 illustrate in plan and end views the fabric produced by the said machine having longitudinal ribs. Fig. 19 is a side elevation of our improved machine. Fig. 20 isan cndelevation thereof from the left-hand end of Fig. lfihthe driving pulley being omitted. Fig.

21 is a detail longitudinal section of the righthand end of the machine. Fig. is

'31. Fig. is a detail View of one of the widening guides in cross section. 'Figs. 24 and 25 are detail end and plan views respectively of center guides for guiding the partially expanded fabric from the rolls of Fig. to those of Fig. 9. Fig. 26 is a detail end view oi end and center guides for guiding the expanded fabric from the rolls of Fig.

IQ'to those of Fig. 13. Fig. 27 is a View similar to Fig. 26'0f endand'center guides for guiding theexpanded fabric from the rollsof Fig. 13 to those of Fig. 14. Fig. 28

is a cross section on the line 28 28' of Fig.

19 of end and center guides for guiding the expanded fabric from the rolls of F 1g. 14 to those of Fig. 15..

In our improved machine meansa'reprovided wherein a sheet of metal which has been, previously slit at desired places is expanded at intervals, that is to say, the expanded parts of the metal are situated in longitudinal panels which are separated by intervening unexpanded plane parts, and

in these unexpanded plane-parts ribs may well be formed.

\Ve have not' illustrated as part of our machine the means whereby the metal is.

slitted, as machines for doing this are wellknown, and this work. may well be done in a separate machine. '-'1 he slitted sheet when ready for treatment 'by our --maehine has slits formed therein, as illustrated in Fig. 1-, and is likewise preferably provided with guiding ribs or heads a whereby the sheet I may be guided through the niachine, and

may be sheared in the slitting machine to the desired size. The slitting is preferably formed by cuts ,in the sheet, some of which are longitudinal and some. of which are transversc cnts, whereby when the metal is separated or expanded itwill be-found that the fi ures are dividedone from another longitudinally forming rows of figures which are connected at their. lateral edges but wherein the figures in eachrow are separatcd from the ligui-esin the next adjoining row. By this meansthe expansion of the metal causes the figures to pull away female have their operating faces smooth and even and without corrugations so that thereby no exact longitudinal registeris required between the said faces at any particular part of the slittcd portion, and the only register which is required is a. lateral one which is provided by the headset said successive expanding dies are illustratcd in Figs. 3, G, and 9 wherein they are lettered F F", v V andG Gl." '0 have illustrated the employment of three sets of such expanding dies as a convenient hum- The . planes as aforesaid occurs. The math her which is well adapted to produce the expanded portion illustrated in side View.

in Fig. 10 where three rows of figures are formed upon each side of the central strip a)", but the invention is not necessarily con- J cerned with the-partic ar number of such expanding dies employed nor yet is it es sential that such dies should expand only one complete figure at a' time as illustrated. The nuniberof such expanding dies may be varied and ,the amount which each shall engage may. bevaried. We have, however, produced. the best results by causing each. die to expand one-row of figures' The pand i and the expanded part is then in substantrally a trough-like forni." The said expanded metal fabric produced by these successive bending operations is then preferably treated so that the fully expanded slitted parts of the sheet are forced from the several planes into which they had been forced by expanding the same into one general and substantially the same plane. For this purpose a series of pressing dies in the form of rollers of progressively increasing size is .employed whereby the said expanded portion is gradually forced into'the-desired.

plane. 'lhese' dies are illustrated in Figs. l2, 18, l t and 15 where they are lettered HF Nanci-N. During the operation-of the said pressing rollers another series of dies preferably likewise in the form of rollers of progressia'ely increasing size act upon theunshttcd portions of the ancta 'ntal after it; has left the final eX- panding' dies of mg." 9 has a shape in cross section illustrated in section in said figure,

sheetand change the saniefroin a flat sheet inone plane .to a sheet ha'ving Ushaped ribs which extend longitudinally of the inislitted portion, andithese ribs are produced by the action of the formingdies which are illustrated in Figs. 12 to 1b and are there lettered,

H 11 .1 I, J J K K, L L M M, O O O and S S. By said'dies longitudinal ribs lettered I in Fig. 18 are produced andduring the formation thereof the edges of the unslitted portion o'fthesheet are caused to approach-one another whereby space is provided which is required to accommodate the slittcd portion of "the sheet when ex panded. and when occupying one plane instead of the several planes into which it has been forced during the process of expansion.

The forcing of the slitted'and expanded portions of the sheets into one plane depends wholly upon the action of the pressing dies and during such action no further (ax-pair sion of said slitted portion over that has already taken place by the forcin said slitted portion of the sn'eet into s illustrated likewise. embodies means wi hv the ribs rnav be turther separat d c I F.

H g a widening of the expanded metal tab iii) A further and detailed d(?;-"Zl{:u.i.-Ei 5 tin: machine and its operatinn will now be pro \iilvrl, and in Urdu that the mine may he (-ivnrly understood we have illustrated in Fig. l a slwot of the; fabric. as headel anal .slittvil preparatory to tratment by this mm chine. This she-ct which as a'whole is; let tin-ml A has plana or unslittvtlporflnns 8 anti Hlltllfi portions or panda A. Thu ax punilwl part of the fabric when mmpletctl has a: series of dizin'inncl-slmpeil. figures \"l'llifil l t in tiwinvvr5e 21ml lsnigitlul nzil ri wse. 'i'ii'? UiUlE$\ ersci'mvr'. in"? at their sides and :it their ends thy are mated from the figures comprising the a l jo ning row. The slitteil. sheet as illustrated in F1 l has lungitmlii'nil (Hts a :s'l'iich are stag; rw'l ELlfiltlYUly to mm another will 1 null; fnrm the lungitmlinfil edges of th U1" iiwml-.-i1:-ipi; l figHw-ez. A slm' l unalitte tl slmw is li fl l'wtwecn ul noil, 1 and this space fuiliiS the mum-Mimi lwtwevn adjacent ligurw in ill" tramwrse rows. Transw rsso rliu; 1, swpzu'ate the diamond shaped figures will! from the other longitudinally A :lyvngthmnn5 longitudinal Illfi which is lvi t nan-lit aulistantially in the ciznteir 0f the slittod panel TN and comieczted tn i l, ,-=l tte(l lllflll'tz' by connecting pm'iinns A it will be Ul'lSQiHPd that the slita a pl'OilU E figures such for instance as tlm'rme lettered w," hich is mnnevted at its sides. to than miljoining figures hy (-nnnecting purtions (1 but ilismi'ami-tml.iit ands and all 0th?! flirts. 'fiw 'wzi'i'zunlsz miilim- (if the, figllfis in not vntinl new the manner of tnrming the This atrip 1 itiied is ready For u'vatnmit hymn" oymil mimhine Whmli as :1 Wlmli: is lettmwl C. This machine has nine savritw fif rlltlh to the action of hit'h the fabric A is snhjmttml in thtr iniivhine. Hf thew tlwgfirst .ll'c l'vwl rolls am! the 104 mill tn vig'htli lYHlHSlVP 1U? P-rating r 'll'm w'luvl X is fc-(l t0 the rotary nmlv l'vmzilv gn lv rollvr's D D wliirrh i1?- illiis. li'flttfll in l" '2 are formed with male and ft-nuilvguiilu (7, 1/ Thvse gnirles enter the guiding! ril u, .lll\'l liqld the. shvet in plant. l'pmi ihv snn'ie Shaft with the rull'l I) are bu ly wills l: R whim-h serve to feed the fabric t0 tlw suliwqiwnt rolls nml to strai 'htvn t-h $311M, lH-nm the l ved i'ollfi of Fig i? thv l'ziin'i it, s rivxt fml t0 the wcnntl r Hi m is whivl pml'm'm the first step in t\ panding tho slit ed metal The said (JFK-- pnnding wlls; are illnstmtmhin rl g. 3 in (Fans wvlimz nhvre they mcszhuwn any) :mitvrl link "llh rllill 'l mill are thvrv l t tmwl l" l". 'l'liv fnhrin is gnililvtl tn the miil ml? liy wills l) l) npwn the smnv shift w illll llt'flilx Oi Ilia; prvvinn; rolh: 'llw :i- Mpzzmling rolls l" l" 21!? pm 11pm, 'ilit'll iwripiierivs with tfflllk'gfllllllv Q-hd are, adapted to zingage one raw hf tiia mnhd ilmped figures upon each Mic RUG tn expand the same.

The male (he F has Steps f which are tHIlIlUC LPd by risers f f and the female die F lias corresponding counter steps f j which are connected by risers f f. The (liPs F F are adapted to grip the unslitted portion B (if the fabric between faces f 7' adjacent the slits and 10 hold the Said fab 7.5 ric against lt'ilfil'tll movemnl. The male die fzmea f are adapted. to engage the rows (1 of Fig. l and to press the same, tllTTElJY ex- Dztiltllllg the outer row if ilimnondshnped figures on \T'Fit'fll side. The outer frames a so will, then lie in the spa -c hetweeii the verticat the surfaces f f. Pressure 0f (lie f upnn the part of and pnrtinnh a which it vngziges will prnss the; same down and Cause a; .part of said portion (L5 whirl; i5 engagd Si by the divf tn he forreil down flpCIi female the are f. This will ($12188 the side a which mnnects 011d prjrtinns a and side pnrtiOns a to be invlinetl relatively to said parts, as intlir-atml in Fig. 5 Male dis face f Will likewine (engage .wwh parts of tlm Slltlttl portion at the frihric as 18 lietwvnn the: Outer lnngi tm'linal rams a of (ll:inmnd-slmped lignres' and will iorne ll) same (lnwn t0 female die hire f and the side frames or. which lie in 9-5 the row w and connvcl ends a to sides a will lit lW-tWitI] the vertical diqsnrfaces f f" and will he int'lined relativelythereto. The arliwn of these ex'pimciing lies F F show: ('XPlllllCkl will expand the outer H 0 I'IIW of diiiniwi'iilshapnd figurPs at each edge of the sliitwl part, as indirated in Fig. 5, and this l'PSHllZ accomplished Without any distortion by T035011 uf the transverse cut a which permits the drawing apart of acljzivent portions 0"; leaving a space (5 (Fig. 5 A SWUYKZ series of expanding (lies likein the flirm of nia le-a'ml female di mils "C Y" i; illi. ut -(l in Fig: 5. Them v are liknwiw provided with gage rolls D D H0 hervlnlurv and these (lie rolls are consirnvtctl similar to those of Fig. 2%.fhiit have an additional series of sti' ps whereby they are mluptvd tn expand :11v idditiOnfll row nt' I liuwl figures adjacent to tlwsee'xpanded in thv (lies of Fig. 3, Said (lies are provided with f'mws r w nit-h, 251 a the mislitterl part l? at th? lmrie 5: .mirhuld the Same zigminfit mmmnent. Male die faves '21 w. 00- npvnating with female die faces v are 1 in1ilnr tn the miresponding fziccs of the llwt oxpamlmg (lies of Fig 3 and engage (w first row of ilinn'mml-shaped fi ircs expilllilt'fl by those (lies and hold t 2 same. A Tim Sklfil'iil expanding li es are fu 'thar prn- 25 "i lml with male (l e invest" 1: which en- QUE? the portions a" iii the next inner (li llLlIOYlil"Sllllptll r0 \v. nf figures rm. each side x ii l llLIlI'PF- S the Rzllll t against mrrvsrpnndi female {lie faces 2 2: thizreby still further Pay :qwumr zlstl'ratm pni'iivui'n wciinu ii NW 512211 11% I) pa r. up and mm a are a series and fl'ilhiif. div v Em apex u? be Lin: vxpnmivd a fume ibe hm mxr-xpnim'led i n rotary rib 15 ii hb a: h Jami for the Th Fess vely wiinw groove 15 0f the Jug the 1111s of Fig. in-xt sm-nrmiing rnfi by MRO are illustrated in m gwv w 51 the 1'11) 12. and by vim-Ex, u-m-Ew the PH) in m guide the same and w for 4h fnlkming mws.

POMS an: provideii. 1 222? t'm'on'ang mik; 211mb war mun, yrussmg is. :es fan ynguir-f i mafcal the nnshttd "nw m tnkav'm of the wmugg {he @utsii Jimmy swim miss K. E.

he fi w. at u more acute angle u? E' ig 33 BMW to deepen the mam unaliitxd pmti n3 'fi UY'i L- "iiu; fabric is then giiided to :wu wwiing mlis by guides: J K iizahimmi in Fig $27 which are similar to Vi L :36; but have guiding: faces (0rm the; HhflpQS prndnwd by the 3 and thvxu guidv the fabric L351. H, Hvrc arc mniied 3' which sci furfiwr Wwtim (mun-d the pinneitiuxa and where Em (m Hm mu:

Mmuw n" tin:

the m'ziiun of the autiiiii iii-i ii i wimresuch (lee wii iiii side I" of i fabric in i ribs ii are iiiiisiiiwi hwi oiis iii ch-e proper :higith hiii 21,15

We aim: pmviii s i i fabric fiij i the mi? 1 I ii ii tiw' ui Fig. 1:") and biliii giiii'ics :iii: ihisiii'ziit-fi in Fig. 28 and CGIIIPXiFP side my iiiii and center guides M which :ii'iz supported to those llGl'BtUfOl't (iliii'l'ii Fig. 15 rntzii'y PIQSSQI i'olls N- ;m; the i".(- panded portion of the him-iv in z-iiii tially the plane (ii iii; fiiitrii'iik i, gum Here also are pi'iiviiini :iiiili'e iiii i ixififlii" rolls 0 0 whii'rh :il'z. in'; and enter tlifi ribs 0. O shim-:- ilii? i'irri io" Tiw gi i' i Qz'i-iii'v inmiizi are sii pi'm i t. HS sewn iii, Fig, f

ain Efik the Siihi T. P. and as iiiii iiii fd iiv through the Mini guides R stiietviml i'i i iiiiiii to ihe ii ijll ii viii the fiiiii H mm ars i ii" ii i fiieht v hviti iii the vhziiiiii r iiy iiw'iiis f statiui fiiv i i-easier" lfirii'i W N iiiuh 1m: natal rahiiively m guiding chiiiiiwis rw in me if the giiiiies R where By means; (if we iiihi'iv i1 wiiiiiud iiiid the iii ii siwtched. lhe "'iii i i p ii the suppm't R H'xi iiiii ii i'ixi-il piii'fi of the mai- Zhiliii iiiikiiiis uf supporting W i' kzi'iiiiis them ti) he curre- Qmvi' i-s fmi'ii :-'zii(i iiies has the -c i.'-i1 illustrated in Fig. 18 13 i vxpiiiidei'l iigiii'es indi- ET. i'lw i zil'iii'lilzil details of th n 0? mil Silid inaiii w n'viiiiim. 'l'hey may be 1 his iihviii departing We will, hmveier, de- 1m: is illustrated.

; :i \Vlifiil? is ilisigniitml C. N! nine poi-[inn T upon 'i glii ici: iiIG mounted, iiflriiiiy .iippfiiifid as iilif upperiiii't of said i, @iile (if the iiiacliina 8 lliliiilgtii iii oppositely i i i :iiiii :--''-:'w in support the roller I; my hriiiis. The shafts for the upper milk in? "iiiii willy wiimiiihlc and for this we iiiiiiiiiiiiwi iii i inc'ks t which --i r 'iwiiiii f and iii-e adjusted by i ligg'. i ii. i' iiii {he (nil of this worm is iiiw 'i :1 driving pulley U (Fig. This will!) i Prgrug fi a Worm geaiflu upon each iii {i2 9 ;-ii:iit, ii i i the idivei' rolls and serves ?\""1'!?\'QY iiii tiiin iliQlQt-U.

.imi iip 'ici' miiei' carrying shafts iw-w witi l minim-i the upper ii id lower infihiii UFHl'i pail? sinthat :ill the rolls are iwhived in liZiiFHI'ii Key; n connect the ifwi i'i'ill iii iiiiii shafts u 'and Carrewiiii gi LJfilitwt the upper fails in the u iiiwiiii ki'v in l' l tn ii n: have illustrated the i i 'L-J: Jii W0. mu-11s in Figs. 1'2'tn 18 iiw :ii'ii .iiilvfi ii it hi'ili this SiZG. and Figs. iii iv :J- iii'e iiii iiv'iiwzi in particular scale. it iiiil he 'W ib-flii'ii that the expanded metal ir; iriiiiiii'cii l y ii'iiailiti if (has which first en- 'riige (iii) mini dined, !'i')'-\:-' of g-nch part and inc-uni the center. This is due to i'. ii iii the particular slitting iiiailii: iii-s iipoii the slits are so i 'itii the slitted metal was best I "'l f0!" fXfiIiIiSiOIl in this manner. It is iziii, in his dil'LliilStOGd, however, that tha "*him: for prodzwing expanded 7G Cumprising 13F shopped,

expanding diva hr'z'v- 1,1 pmgwisw ing-m in (n 39%;

i xiii;

my mu-0 an;

of tin; ezw mi yrvww pnnding 1L ing oppositely disposed, stepped die faces, succeeding dies having a progressively increasing number of stepped die faces, and

each of said stepped dies having an even and continuous die face.

14. A. machine for producin expanded sheet metal comprising a plura ity of succes'sively acting rotary male and female expanding dies, each having oppositely disposed stepped die faces, succeeding dies having a progressively increasing number of stepped die faces, adapted to expand a sheet at intervals, and to give said expanded part a form substantially V-shaped in cross section, and a series of presser rolls of progressively increasing height adapted to progressively press said expanded part to a plane substantially level with the base thereof. 15. A machine for producin expanded sheet metal comprising a plura ity of suc' cessively acting expanding dies, having oppositely disposed, stepped die faces, succeeding dies having a progressively increasing number of stepped die faces, adapted to expand a sheet at intervals, and to give said expanded part a form substantially V-shaped in crosssection, a series of presser rolls of progressively increasing height adapted to progressively press said expanded part to a plane substantially level with the base thereof, and a series of rotary male and female rib forming dies of progressively increasing size, cooperating with said presser rolls and adapted to press a portion of the unexpanded part of said sheet displaced by the action of said presser rolls into longitudinal ribs.

16. An expanding machine comprising a. device for opening out previously slitted sheets transversely to the plane thereof and means for forming ribs between said slitted portions of said sheets and thereby bringing said slitted portions into substantial alinement.

17. A. machine for forming ribbed expanded metal comprising means for opening out previously siitted portions transversely to the plane of the sheet, means for forming ribs between said slitted portions and means acting simultaneously with said ribbing means for pressing the slitted portions back into substantial alinement In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN E. DOBSON. GEORG MERKEL, Witnesses:

ELI E. RIDHEAD, FREnK C. FLADD. 

